z/ 







NEW-HAMPSHIRE 

SECURING to the citizens 


THEIR RIGHTS OF SUFFRAGE, 


pallia/led Sy xytutfioiity. 


tt nwt'Ov'o^> 


si 


Cottcora; 

PRINTED BY GEORGE HOUGH, YOR THE STATS* 






RESOLVED, That the Secretary of this State be 
directed to procure five hundred printed copies of the 
“Act, more effectually to secure to the citizens of this 
State their rights of suffrage,” and of the act in addi¬ 
tion and amendment thereof, and forward by mail, 
as soon as may be, one copy of the same to the se¬ 
lectmen of each town in this State, and to each mem¬ 
ber of the Senate, and to each member of the House 
of Representatives. 

STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE. 

In Senate , June 24 , 1814 , 
The foregoing Resolve was read and accepted; 

Sent down for concurrence. 

M. P. PAYSON, President® 

In the House of Representatives , the same day, 
Read and concurred. 

EDMUND TOPPAN, Speaker, pro tem . 

Approved, June 24 , 1814 . 

J. T. GILMAN, Governor. 


A true copy. 

Attest... ALBE CADY, Secretary® 


LAWS. 


9n 5lrt, 

effectually to secure to the citizens of this State Passed June 
their rights of suffrage. 23 , 1813 .. 

§ I. BE it enabled, by the Senate and House 
of Representatives in General Court convened % 

That every male inhabitant of each town, and 
parifh with town privileges, and places unin- Citizenjs t 
corporated, in this State, being a natural born vote w h ere 
or naturalized citizen of the United States, of they dwell • 
twenty-one years of age, or upwards, except-? 
ing paupers, and perfons excufed from pay** 
ing taxes at their own requeft, fhall have a 
right, at the annual and other meetings of the 
inhabitants of faid towns and pari flies, to 
vote in the town or parifh wherein he dwell? 
and has his home. 

§ 2. And be it further enabled, , That the 
feletlmen of the feveral towns and parifhes 
aforefaid, fhall lodge with the clerk of the 
town or parifh, and fhall caufe to be polled 
up in fome public place or places within fuch 
town or parifh, fifteen days prior to any town An alphabet- 
meeting for the choice of State and County ^^ftobe 
officers, Reprefentativ.es to Congrefs, or Elec- posted up m 
tors of Prefident and Vice-Prefident of the tfie towns. 
United States, an alphabetical lid: of all the le¬ 
gal voters in fuch town or parifh; and it (hall 
be the duty of the feleftmen to place on faid 
lift the name of any legal voter which may 





More 


4 


Rights of Suffrage* 

have been omitted, on receiving fatisfadory 
evidence thereof: and at every town meeting, 
for the purpofes aforefaid, the town clerk 
Check invct- ^jj c j lec j c 0n f a * lc j lift the name of each voter; 

and in cafe any perfon ftiall offer to vote, 
Moderator whofe name is not on faid lift, the moderator, 
to decide* j n prefence of the feledmen whofe duty it (hall 
be to attend, ftiall decide whether fuch perfon 
be a legal voter; and if it be determined that 
fuch perfon is entitled to vote at faid meeting, 
his name ftiall be entered on faid lift, and 
Who to sort checked in manner aforefaid. And the feled- 
and count men anc | town clerk ftiall affift in forting and 
counting the ballots; but no other perfon 
ftiall in any wife interfere therewith. And 
it ftiall be the duty of the moderator of any 
Avenues to town meeting, to caufe the avenues to and 
be kept clear. f rom the place of voting to be kept clear, fo 
that the legal voters may have accefs thereto, 
and pafs without interruption. 

§ 3. And belt further enacted\ That the 

feledmen of the feveral towns and parifties 
aforefaid ftiall provide, at the expenfe of fuch 
^rovrded ^ towns an ^ parifties, a fuitable box, or boxes, 
to receive the ballots of the legal voters; on 
which ballots ftiall be written or printed the 
name or names of the perfon or perfons voted 
for; and the ballots ftiall be given in, in the 
How to manner following—that is to fay: each Voter 
vote. ftiall deliver his ballot to the moderator, in 

open town meeting; and the moderator,on re¬ 
ceiving the ballot, ftiall dired the town clerk 
to check the name of the voter, cn the lift to 
Moderator be provided as aforefaid; and the moderator 
Kci to inspect fi u ]i 5 w ithout impeding the name or names 


5 


Rights of Suffrage . 

of the perfon or perfons voted for, examine names, hut 
the ballot fo far as to determine whether the 
fame contains more than one ticket; and if it me 
do not, he fhall place it in the balloting box: 
but if faid ballot contains more than one tick¬ 
et, the moderator fhall make it manifeft to 
the meeting, and reject the fame, 

§ 4. And be it further enacted\ That it 
fhall be the duty of the moderator of any town Moderator 
meeting, held for the choice of State and 
County officers, Reprefentatives to Congrefs, votes. 
or Electors of Prefident and Vice-Prefident 
of the United States, to declare, in open 
town meeting, at the clofe of the poll, the 
Rate of the vote or votes; and no ballot fhall 
be received and counted after the Rate of the 
votes fhall have been declared as aforefaid. ^ Tq vQter ^ 

§5. And be it further enacted^ That dur- able to arrest 
ing the day on which any town meeting fhall/^ debt* 
be holden for the choice of State and Coun¬ 
ty officers, Reprefentatives to Congrefs, or 
Electors of Prefident and Vice-Prefident of 
the United States, no inhabitant of any town 
or pariffi, who is entitled to vote therein, 
fhall be liable to arreft on any civil procefs 
whatever. 

§ 6. And be it further enacted , That the 
number of ballots for Governor, Councillor, Returns t c 
and Senator, fhall be returned to the office of )>uul '■ 0;i 
the Secretary of State, on diRind pieces of^^G 
paper; and the return fhall be figned by the paper. 
town clerk, and in fubflance in the form fol¬ 
lowing, viz. 


6 


Rights of Suffrage. 

Form of re* “ At a legal town meeting, duly notified 
and holden at - - - on the - - - day of 
- - —, in the year - - - the following 
•votes were given in for - - - which votes 
have been declared in open town meeting. 

A true copy of record. 

Atteft ... 

...-Town Clerk.” 

§7. And be it further enabled, That if 
any perfon or perfons, in any town in this 
fquers net State, (hall, diredly or indiredly, give fpirit- 
to be given ous liquors to the voters of any fuch town, on 
tc. voters. the fay 0 f e ] e £tion, or at any prior or fubfe- 
quent period, and it fhall be made to appear 
that the fame was done with a view to influ¬ 
ence the eledion, or as a treat for their fuf- 
frage, or the honors bellowed on any candi¬ 
date in the eledion ; fuch perfon fhall be 
deemed and confidered as guilty of a breach 
penalty, cf this ad, and be liable to pay a fine not ex¬ 
ceeding forty dollars, to be recovered on 
complaint before any Court of competent ju- 
rifdidion, or on indidment of the grand jury 
before the Superior Court, for the ufe of the 
county in. which the offence is committed. 

§ 8. And be it further enabled , That it 
Clerk loread fhall be the duty of the town clerk, in every 
this act. town in this State, at the opening of every 
town or diftrid meeting, when and where 
any of the foregoing officers are to be voted 
for, and before the bufmefs of fuch meeting 
is entered up on » to i*ead this ad, or caufe it; 
to be read, in faid meeting. 



7 


Rights of Suffrage. 

§ 9. And he it further enaEled , That in anci 
balloting at any town meeting, for State and ^^tobc 
county officers, the moderator ffiall call for vo tedJor oh 
the ballots for Governor, Councillor, Senator, one ticket. 
County Treafurer, and Regifter of Deeds, or 
fo many of faid officers as it ffiall be neceffary 
to vote for at faid meeting, to be given in on 
the fame ticket, with the refpective offices de- 
fignated againft the name of the perfon voted 
for ; and the fame mode ffiall be obferved in 
voting for Reprefentatives to Congrefs, and 
Electors ofPrefident and Vice-Prefident, as is 
by this aprovided in voting for State and 
county officers, with the exception that the 
votes for Ele&ors ofPrefident and Vice-Prefi- Electors and 
dent ffiall be brought in on one piece of paper R fpresents 
or ticket, and thofe for Reprefentatives to 
Congrefs on another. Provided , however , p r0V \ s0h 
That in voting for all of the aforefaid officers, 
no perfon ffiall be obliged to vote for every 
officer to be ele&ed. 

STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIRE* 

In the House of Representatives, June 18, 1813. 

The foregoing bill having had three feverai 
readings, paffed to be ena&ed. 

Sent up for concurrence. 

THO. W. THOMPSON, Speaker. 

In Senate, June 23, 1813. 

This bill having been read a third time, was 
ena&ed. 

OLIVER PEABODY, President. 

Approved June 23, 1813. 

j. T. GILMAN* Governor, 


8 


Rights of Suffrage. 


an act, 


In addition to, and in amendment of an act,entitled, 
“An act, more effectually to secure to the citi¬ 


zens of this State their rights of suffrage.-” 


Passed June 
24 , 1814 . 


§ i. BE it enabled, by the Senate and House 
of Representatives in General Court convened, 
That if any perfon, at any meeting of any 
town or parifh in this State, holden for the 
choice of any State or County officers, Rep- 
refentatives to the General Court, Repre- 
fentatives to Congrefs, or Eledors of Prefi- 
dent and Vice-President of the United States, 
or any other officer or officers ufually chofen 
by ballot, (hall give in more than one vote 
or lift for any officer or lift of officers, then 
voted for at fuch meeting, he ffiall, for each 
and every vote or lift of votes fo put in, for- 


Penalty for felt and pay the fum of thirty dollars; to be 
giving more recovered by adion, one moiety thereof to 
than one t h e u f e 0 f foe town or pariffi where the of¬ 



fence may be committed, and the other moi¬ 
ety thereof to the ufe of the perfon fuing 
for the fame. 


§ 2. And be it further enacted , That if 
For giving an y perfon ffiall give any falfe anfwer or falfe 

{ters or false name t0 the prefidingat fuch meeting, 

names . while receiving evidence of the qualifications 


of any perfon, as aforefaid, he ffiall, for 
each and every fuch offence, forfeit and pay 
the fum of ten dollars; to be recovered by 
adion, one moiety thereof for the ufe of the 
town or parifh where the offence may be 
committed, and the other moiety thereof to 
the ufe of the perfon fuing for the fame. 


Rights of Suffrage . 9 

§ 3. And he it further enacted , That the p ena ity f or . 
felectmen ot any town or pariih in this State, selectmen 
who fhall neglect or refufe to make, poft up, neglecting 
and lodge with the town clerk of the town or ^pl^up 
parifh to which they may belong, a lift of the list of‘votes* 
legal voters in faid town or pariih, agreeably 
to the provifions of the fecond fedion of the 
ato which this is an addition, (hall forfeit 
and pay a fum not exceeding one hundred 
dollars, rior lefs than ten dollars, to be recov¬ 
ered in any Court proper to try the fame; one 
moiety thereof to theufe of the perfon who 
may fue therefor, and the other to the town 
or parifh where fuch offence may be commit¬ 
ted. 

§ 4. And he it further ena&ed That if the 
feledmeri of any town or parifh, as aforefaid, p ena i ty ff r 
fhall at day time after the pofting up of the lift refusing to 
of voters in fuch town or parifh,as mentioned erase from. 
in the fecond fedion of the ad to which this 
is an addition, and before the day of the town voters^ 
or parifh meeting for the choice of the officers 
aforefaid, on application for that purpofe, 
and on receiving fatisfactory evidence that any 
perfon, whofe name is on faid lift, is not le- or f0 hear 
gaily qualified to vote for faid officers, refufe evidence of 
to ftrike and erafe from faid lift the name of the want of 
any fuch perfon; or, if fuch fele&men fhall 
refufe to hear and examine any evidence that persons 
may be offered or produced before them, with- wlnse 
in the time aforefaid, for the purpofe of pro- 
ving the want of qualifications in any person 
whofe name may be placed upon faid iift asafore- 
2 


names 
are on the 


*.Q 


Rights of Suffrage . 


votes* 


faid; they fhall,in either cafe, and for each an$ 
every fuch offence, forfeit and pay the fum of 
•twenty dollars; to be recovered by adion, one 
moiety thereof to the ufe of the perfon filing 
for the fame, and the other moiety thereof 
to the ufe of the town or parifh where the of¬ 
fence may be committed. 

§ 5. And be it further enabled. That if the 
penalty for moderator of any town or parifh meeting as a- 
moderator forefaid.ftiallfraudulently receive and count any 
^jraudidc' tli] votc or ballot given in by any perfon, know- 
'receive and hig fuch perfon not to be a legal voter in fuch 
cou,nt illegal town or parifh at the time; or, if the mod- 
t totes, or erator of fuch town or pari fir meeting fhall 

^rfectlllld fraudulently rejed or refufe to receive and 
count the ballot offered or given in by any 
perfon, knowing fuch perfon to be legally 
qualified to vote in fuch town or parifh; he 
fhall, in either cafe, and for each and every 
fuch offence, forfeit and pay a fum not ex¬ 
ceeding fifty dollars, nor lei's than ten dollars; 
to be recovered by adion, one moiety there¬ 
of to the ufe of the perfon fuing for the fame, 
and the other moiety thereof to the ufe of 
the town or parifh where the offence was 
committed. 

§ 6. And be it further enacted , That if 
any perlqn,under the age of twenty-one years, 
at any meeting of any town or parifh as afore- 
faid, fhall give in any vote or ballet fer any 
officer, or lift of officers, then voted for at 
fuch meeting as a fore fa id, fuch perfon, under 
the age of twenty-one years, fo voting, fhall., 
fop each and every fuch offence, forfeit and 


Persons un¬ 
der 21 years 
at age vo - 
tin 


T 


penalty 

tUrtjor. 


Rights oj Suffrage. 




pay the fum of ten dollars, to he recovered 
in an adion of trefpafs, in any Court proper 
to try the fame; one moiety thereof to the 
ufe of the perfon filing for the fame, and the 
other moiety to the ufe of the town or pariffi 
in which the offence was committed. 

§ 7. And be it further enacted , That if any 
alien, not naturalized, at any meeting of any 
town or paiifh as aforefaid, fhall give in any Aliens , not 
vote or ballot for any officer, or lift of officers, naturalized \ 
then voted for at fuch meeting as aforefaid, not t0 vote ' 
luch alien, not naturalized, fo voting, fhall, 
for each and every fuch offence, forfeit and . .. 

pay,the lum or thirty dollars; to be re¬ 
covered by adion, in any Court proper to try 
the fame; one moiety thereof to the ufe of the 
perfon fuing for the fame, and the other moi¬ 
ety thereof to the ufe of the town or pariffi 
tohere the offence was committed. 

§ 8. And be it further enabled , That all ac- 
tions for the penalties and forfeitures in this ^j^this 
ad mentioned, fhaii be commenced within six act to. be 
months after the offence is committed,and not prosecuted 
afterwards. 

§ 9. And be it further enabled. That the ' 
firft fedion of an ad,entitled, “An ad to pre¬ 
vent undue influence and fraud in town meet¬ 
ings, and in the choice of town and State effi- Repeal. 
cers,” paffed the 14th day of June, A. D. 

1799, be, and the fame is hereby, repealed. 

§ 10. And be it further enabled , That it 
{hall be the duty of the town clerk, in every t 0 .ff L 
town in this State, at the opening of every to read this 
town or diftrict meeting, when and where any uCU 
L. of 0. 


within sioe 
months . 


u 


Rights of Suffrage. Q Q 2 7 H9 763 ! 


of tbe foregoing officers are to be voted for, 
and before the bufinefs of fuch meeting is en¬ 
tered upon, to read this afi, or caufe it to be 
read, in faid meeting. 


STATE OF NEW-HAMPSHIKE. 

In the House of Representatives, June 23, 1814. 

The foregoing bill having had three feveral 
readings, paffed to be enadted. 

Sent up for concurrence. 

EDMUND TOPPAN, Spcaker v> pro tem. 
/*■ In Senate, June f 3,1814. 

This b'd'l having been read a third time, was 

tnaclcd. p PAYSON, President. 

Approved Tune 24, 1814. 

n J j. T. GILMAN, Governors 


A true copy. 
Attest.... 


ALBE CADY, Secretary. 


« 


If 



